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But the 33rd minute dismissal of Peter Etebo - for a genuine red-card challenge and probable three-match ban after catching former Stoke trainee Richard Keogh - tilted the odds against Stoke and sparked a mass melee in which Derby midfielder Bradley Johnson appeared to try and bite opposite number Joe Allen around the neck.

Derby levelled early in the second period through Liverpool loanee Harry Wilson and looked set to take the points, but Stoke valiantly hit back through Tom Ince against the club he left in the summer to rejoin Rowett at Stoke.

Stoke City's Tom Ince scores his side's second goal of the game during the Sky Bet Championship match against Derby at the bet365 Stadium. (Image: Tim Goode)

“It was definitely the gutsiest performance of the season, brilliant win,” he said. “I don’t think as manager of anyone I have been prouder.

“I changed both full backs so we had the energy to get forward and we were a real threat and Joe plays in a great ball for Sam to score. He’s influenced the game.

“I have to be honest, after the sending off I thought we had run over a black cat and felt quite dejected.

“After that we had a spell when we lacked control clearing the ball before we settled.

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“They are vibrant and you fear the worst, but even with 10 men we created chance and our second goal was superb.

“A good cross and that’s why you buy Tom Ince because’s a guarantee of goals, a real class act.

“We defended with great concentration, great physicality at times and Ash (Williams) showed his experience, but the whole team did.

Sam Clucas celebrates with team mates during the Sky Bet Championship match between Stoke City and Derby County at the bet365 Stadium. (Image: Nathan Stirk)

“We had to be brave at 1-1 and got our reward.”

On the sending off, he added: “I have no massive complaints, but it’s difficult conditions and it looked like he got a bit of the ball first. Some of the challenges looked worse than they were because of the water on the pitch.”

And on Johnson’s alleged bite on Allen, he commented: “Someone said Bradley Johnson has bit Joe Allen, but I spoke to Joe and he said it was nothing problematic and the referee said he wouldn’t put anything in any report and we won’t be pushing for anything.”

Derby boss Frank Lampard said afterwards: “We are disappointed to lose against 10 men, it was there to win. We needed a bit more imagination to get through them.